Marist volleyball fell to Merrimack in five sets, losing 16-14 in the deciding frame despite rallying from an early deficit.
The Red Foxes entered the matchup at 9-9 overall and 4-1 in the Metro Conference after back-to-back wins over Iona and Manhattan. Despite facing a Merrimack team that was winless through its first 18 matches and 0-5 in conference play, Marist was unable to escape with a victory.
The Warriors earned their first win of the season after taking advantage of an early lead in the fifth set, surviving a late Red Foxes comeback to claim the win.
The Warriors were led offensively by sophomore opposite Jocelyn Hammerstrand who averaged 2.38 kills per set, and defensively senior libero Elle Maldonado averaged 3.23 digs per set. The Warriors win ended Marist’s two-game winning streak and dropped Marist to 4-2 in conference play.
Marist opened the match with a 25-18 first-set victory, establishing an early lead behind its powerful offense. Sophomore setter Caelyn Dumas helped distribute the ball to Marist’s hitters, including sophomore outside hitter Mallory Reck.
Merrimack responded in the second set, finding its rhythm offensively to earn a 25-17 win and even the match. The Warriors carried that momentum into the third set, pulling away late to take 25-20 victory and move within one set of their first win of the season.
Facing a potential loss in four sets, Marist responded in the fourth frame. The Red Foxes found their rhythm again and built a comfortable lead, eventually winning 25-15 to force a deciding fight set and keep their hopes of extending their winning streak alive.
Merrimack took control immediately in the fifth, scoring the first five points and putting Marist in an early hole. The Red Foxes called a timeout in an attempt to stop the Warriors’ momentum, but Merrimack continued to apply pressure and extended its lead to 9-3.
Marist began to chip away at the deficit as Reck recorded a kill, while freshman middle blocker Molly Malone contributed key points to bring Marist back into contention. The team’s rally continued as it erased the six-point deficit and eventually took an 11-10 lead, shifting the pressure onto Merrimack.
The teams traded points down the stretch, with Marist refusing to let the match slip away. A kill from freshman outside hitter Heidi Chambers helped keep the Red Foxes close, and Reck added another point to bring Marist within one. Dumas then delivered a service ace to tie the set at 14-14, completing the comeback and setting up a decisive finish.
However, Merrimack regained the advantage after a Marist service error gave the Warriors a 15-14 lead. An attack error by Malone on the following point ended the match at 16-14, giving Merrimack its first win of the season and leaving Marist just short of completing the comeback.
The Red Foxes return to the court tomorrow at 3 p.m. to face Quinnipiac University.
Edited by August Lieberman
Photo by Jaylen Rizzo
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